Panama City celebration postponed

Published: Wednesday, July 3, 2013 at 07:05 PM.

UPDATE: Salute to Freedom and the fireworks at the Panama City Marina have been postponed until Saturday from 2 to 10. An earlier version of the story is posted below.

PANAMA CITY — While the inclement weather rained out America’s birthday for one city, others will be proceeding rain or shine.

Lynn Haven canceled the full day of Independence Day festivities Wednesday morning due to the poor weather conditions. Charlie Smith, director of leisure services, said the holiday events scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. and continue through the day, culminating in a firework display at 9 p.m., would not be rescheduled for the weekend but would not go comepletely unrecognized.

“We are looking at setting up a special event for the Saturday of Labor Day weekend,” Smith said. “We are going to do the whole works that weekend and hopefully the weather will hold up.”

UPDATE: Salute to Freedom and the fireworks at the Panama City Marina have been postponed until Saturday from 2 to 10. An earlier version of the story is posted below.

PANAMA CITY — While the inclement weather rained out America’s birthday for one city, others will be proceeding rain or shine.

Lynn Haven canceled the full day of Independence Day festivities Wednesday morning due to the poor weather conditions. Charlie Smith, director of leisure services, said the holiday events scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. and continue through the day, culminating in a firework display at 9 p.m., would not be rescheduled for the weekend but would not go comepletely unrecognized.

“We are looking at setting up a special event for the Saturday of Labor Day weekend,” Smith said. “We are going to do the whole works that weekend and hopefully the weather will hold up.”

The “Salute to Freedom” event, hosting an estimated 45,000 near the Panama City Marina, will take place rain or shine, according to event staff. Umbrellas are encouraged and two large tents will be placed on the marina for public shelter. Entertainment, the fireworks display and vendors will continue rain or shine, as well.

“We are committed to presenting the July Fourth activities for the citizens and visitors of Bay County with the support of all involved,” said Dutch Sanger, Downtown Improvement Board executive director. “It is nice to see the community rally for common endeavors.”

Every year the city touts the largest fireworks display in the Northwest Florida. About 15,000 more people are estimated to watch along and the display is choreographed to music broadcast by Island 106, 97X, V-100 and Top Rock 93.3.

Callaway festivities for the Fourth of July will conclude at 7 p.m., allowing people time to travel to the fireworks shows.

Veterans Park, home of the F-15 Eagle in Callaway, will take a step back in time to re-enact the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence at 3:30 p.m. during an Old Fashioned Independence Day. “Thomas Jefferson,” author of the Declaration, will make a special appearance for the historic reading and the audience will be invited to participate. Props and hats will be provided. The reading will be a dramatic re-enactment and each section of the crowd will be cued.

The eventwill run from 3 to 7 p.m. Paddle races, foot races, watermelon seed-spitting and water relays will be included in events, and vendors will continue rain or shine.